News of: Thursday, 19th of November, 2009

Front Page

The nation waits to hear the ultimate verdict today in the Bangabandhu murder case trial with bated breath and also in the expectation that finally justice will prevail. It has been a long, painful journey for the people of Bangladesh. It ought not to have been this way, for the particular reason that the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistani occupation in December 1971 was considered symbolic of a clean break with the past. That Bangalees would see democracy grow in their country, that under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman they would go forth to create Shonar Bangla, a cause the Father of the Nation had consistently espoused since he emerged with his Six-Point programme of regional autonomy in the mid-1960s, was not a misplaced expectation. Indeed, it was a dream that seemed eminently attainable with Bangabandhu as the undisputed leader of this country.

The billion-dollar projects of elevated expressway and metro rail for the capital city without detailed feasibility study is likely to bring about financial and technical debacles, said country's leading transport experts.

Shakib Al Hasan, world's number one all-rounder in ODIs, has just had another feather added to his already glittering career by becoming the first Bangladeshi cricketer to sign for an English county side.

The government will launch a food for education programme this year targeting two million children in the most food-insecure areas to prevent school dropouts there, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said.

The parliamentary standing committee on the commerce ministry yesterday asked the ministry to ensure country's highest interest before it seals the much-debated Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (Tifa) deal with the USA.

Editorial

TODAY the nation has come face to face with a stark truth. The very fact that we had to wait for the last 34 years to complete the trial of the murder of the founding father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman including most of his family members and bring the killers to justice has brought us face to face with the moment of truth. Why had we to wait so long, for after his killing governments came in succession, one of those -- the BNP government of 1991-- being directly elected by the people. Strangely enough, before the Awami League government of 1996 was voted into office, none of the earlier governments felt the legal and moral obligation that the tragedy of August 15, 1975 at least deserved a hearing in the court of law! What had happened to our proud legacy of protest and struggle against all kinds of injustice?

THE country's position has improved slightly as per the corruption perception index of TI. It has gone three notches down and is now rated 13th out of 180 countries, with a score of 2.4 which was just good enough for not finishing among the ten most corrupt countries in the world. But respectability is still a far cry, as the countries scoring less than 3 are believed to be plagued by all-pervasive corruption.

THE state of civil-military relations (CMR) in Bangladesh is not what it should be. And there are many reasons for it. But what is more irksome than having to bear such a condition is a situation where the two are not very forthcoming in either acknowledging the shortcomings or in engaging in free and frank discussions on the issue.

THE Corruption Perception Index (CPI)-2009 was released by Transparency International (TI) on November 17. It provides international ranking of countries in terms of perceived degree of prevalence of political and administrative corruption. The index shows that Bangladesh is among nine out of the 180 countries included in this survey that have achieved "notable improvements." On a scale of 0-10 Bangladesh scored 2.4, compared to 2.1 last year. In terms of ranking, Bangladesh has become 13th from below which is 139th among 180, whereas in 2008 it was 10th from below or 147th among 180.

Sports

There comes a time in every cricketer's life when he can do no wrong. Everything goes right to the point that it seems that the heavens themselves have aligned to thrust that individual to the zenith of his achievements.

Life in the national camp after the shocking departure of Brazilian coach Edson Dido Silva goes on. And with Shahidur Rahman Shantoo taking over as interim coach it looked like the job is in good hands.

Cricket Coaching School (CCS) have chalked up their third win of the season with a comfortable five-wicket victory over hapless Khelaghar in their clash of the Premier Cricket League at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. Newcomers Khelaghar, who had impressed all by qualifying for the semifinal of the season's curtain raising tournament Twenty20 Premier League, have found life difficult so far in the 50-overs format as they have lost all seven of their matches played so far.

Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM) have suspended today's scheduled matches of the Premier League due to security reasons concerning the verdict of Bangabandhu murder case. The matches scheduled for today will be held tomorrow as the eighth round matches are being bodily shifted by a day. There were big matches scheduled for today including the one between Gazi Tank and Abahani at the Sher-e-Bangla, but enough security arrangement could not have been ensured which lead to the deferral of matches. The matches of the eight round will now be held on the 20th and 21st of November, and the next round starting the following day. Fixture of the First Division Cricket League have also been shifted for the same reason.

The fourth and fifth ODIs between Bangladesh Under 19 and Zimbabwe Under 19 have been shifted to the Shahid Chandu Stadium in Bogra from the Jessore District Stadium, said a press release from Bangladesh Cricket Board yesterday.

Allrounders the world over are either fighting frequent injuries or giving up one form of the game to prolong their careers in another, but not Jacques Kallis. He's remained remarkably durable over a 14-year career, performing consistently with bat and ball, and has no intention of giving up a format, or forgoing his bowling, to extend his career.

The West Indians received an immediate view of life without the captain Chris Gayle when both openers fell cheaply and they were dismissed for 271 against Queensland. Gayle flew out of Australia on Wednesday to be with his sick mother in Jamaica and shortly after he left Allan Border Field his side was in trouble at 2 for 10, relying on Ramnaresh Sarwan's 73 to boost an unconvincing total.

Bangladesh male table tennis team finished 10th amongst 21 teams in the 19th Asian Table Tennis Championship that is currently being held in the Lucknow, India. They lost to Iran and Thailand but beat Laos to move into the second round where they beat Nepal to advance to the next round. Bangladesh lost to Sri Lanka in the 9th and 10th place decider to finish on tenth. The women's team finished fifteenth among 21 teams.

Petrobangla officials here yesterday proposed introducing 'holiday staggering' in the industrial units in Dhaka and Chittagong to tackle the present situation of gas crisis and develop the supply system by load management of gas.

A solid majority of Americans recognise the need to help the environment, although there are some things -- like buying a hybrid car or taking mass transit -- that people often talk about, but don't necessarily act on.

Board of Investment (BoI) Executive Chairman Syed Abdus Samad said the government should not have excessive control over bank interest rates for investment, as hosts of investors are exploring prospects for investing in various sectors.

ICBI BANKUnaudited quarterly accounts for the third quarter to September 30, 2009 (January to September) show the bank has incurred a net loss of Tk (606.36) million with EPS of Tk (91.22) as against Tk (104.03) million and Tk (15.65) respectively for the same period of the previous year.

Metropolitan

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sought assistance from Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in agricultural technology transfer in Bangladesh for enhancing food production and productivity in particular to enhance production of rice and achieve self-sufficiency.

Six months have elapsed since the High Court gave a directive to form anti-sexual harassment committee at every workplace and institution, but only a few have complied, speakers at a roundtable said yesterday.

Climate change may reverse the hard-earned development gains of the past and the progress towards achieving the millennium development goals (MDGs), said the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in its 'State of the World Population 2009' report yesterday.

Experts at a conference yesterday stressed the need to take precautions for preventing cardiovascular diseases as they have been emerging as serious health hazards in Bangladesh and other developing countries.

Benapole border immigration police officer-in-charge (OC) and an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) were stand-released yesterday in connection with the disappearance of computers from the check post office on Monday.

National

Two more students of Barisal Veterinary Institute (BVI) under Patuakhali University of Science and Technology (PSTU) were expelled yesterday for one semester on charge of leading agitation on the campus.

Victims of cyclone Sidr in Southkhali union under Sharankhola upazila in greater Khulna have demanded construction of sustainable embankments and arrangement for their returning to houses that were destroyed during he natural calamity.

Three front organisations of United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) yesterday held a protest rally and demanded immediate arrest and punishment of the security men who allegedly attacked indigenous people on Tuesday at Gilachhari of Rangamati district.

A faction of Magura BNP, led by district Joint Convener advocate Mokaddes Hossain, yesterday held councils of Sadar upazila and municipality units while the other faction led by Convener Kabir Murad fixed November 23 and 24 for councils of the two units.

Israel gave approval on Tuesday for the construction of hundreds of new housing units in annexed Arab east Jerusalem, drawing Western criticism as it drove another stake into troubled Middle East peace efforts.

Bigger is not necessarily better, at least when it comes to brains, says a new study, which found that tiny insects could be as intelligent as much bigger animals, despite only having a brain the size of a pinhead.

Arts & Entertainment

Theatre Art Unit staged an adaptation of Ibsen's "Ghosts" at the Experimental Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on November 17. Adapted by Mohammad Bari, the play was directed by Rokeya Rafique Baby.

A 12-day international festival featuring the works of legendary Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen began on November 12 at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA). Apart from plays and seminars, an art competition and exhibition on Bangladeshi theatre icon Selim Al Deen, titled "Images of Selim Al Deen's Life and Works", are now on at the National Art Gallery, BSA. The exhibition features artworks by the students of 12 art institutes of the country. Over 100 artists are participating in the exhibition.

Actress and TV host Shomi Kaiser and her mother Panna Kaiser are the guests on Desh TV's talk show "Lizan Herbal Eki Brintey" tonight. The programme features a celebrity as guest who is joined by a family member -- parent, sibling, spouse or teacher -- whose support and influence have played a major role behind his/her success.

On November 16, the Bangladesh Writers Foundation organised a discussion at the Central Public Library auditorium on the occasion of the 60- year literary career of National Professor Kabir Chowdhury. A leading intellectual, essayist, literary critic, educationist, translator and socio-cultural activist, Chowdhury writes both in English and Bengali. He has published more than 200 books. Noted poet Muhammad Samad, novelist Saleha Chowdhury, cultural personality Ramendu Majumdar, writer Mainuddin Kajal, Nahid Rokshana, Ahmed Kaisar, Rasel Asheki, Ayat Ali Patwary, Prottoy Jasim and others delivered speeches at the programme. The programme was presided over by noted Nazrul exponent Dr. Rafiqul Islam.

OP-ED

THE present shortfall of gas to the tune of 250 to 300 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) is expected to increase as the demand for gas towards power generation, fertiliser production, and domestic, industry, commercial and CNG transport uses outpace the production rate. This creates a situation whereby the country often has to choose between running a fertiliser factory or a power plant, cannot provide gas for industrial growth and so forth, each of which has multiple effects in slowing down economic development.

FOLLOWING the cabinet approval on November 11, Finance Minister A.M.A. Muhith announced the much-awaited seventh national pay scale and allowances the same day for the employees in the government, semi-government and autonomous organisations. According to the finance minister's announcement, only pay hike will be effective from the first of July this year and the increase in allowances will be payable from the next financial year. A gazette notification to be issued this month detailing the procedure for payment of increased pay and allowances clear will make things clear.